MG HS: common problems, best years and what to check
Great-value family SUV with a seven-year warranty; PHEV available. Covers 2020–2024 cars: every popular engine, its known faults with typical UK repair costs, and how each year has held up on Britain's roads.
Updated November 2026 · By the Carnod team · How we build this guide
Is the MG HS a good used buy?
Best buy
PHEV if you can charge, else 1.5 T-GDI manual
Avoid
early DCT with harsh shifting
Who it suits: Families wanting a big, well-equipped SUV for little money.
What's good
- Seven-year warranty
- Great value
- Roomy
- PHEV electric range
What's not
- Thirsty petrol
- Basic driving experience
- DCT jerky
- Weak resale
By the numbers
- #105 most common model on UK roads, with about 82k licensed (DfT).
- The biggest surviving year is 2024: 27.9k cars still licensed.
- The most expensive common fault: DCT gearbox jerkiness (up to £1,500).
MG HS common problems by generation and engine
MG HS HS (2019–2024) · SUV; PHEV
How to spot it: 19 plate onwards. Large chrome star-pattern grille.
1.5 T-GDI (15E4E, petrol, 2019–2024)
Basic but reliable
- DCT gearbox jerkiness£0–£1,500any
1.5 PHEV (15E4E + e, petrol plug-in hybrid, 2020–2024)
Good electric range
Faults on any HS (2019–2024) engine
- Infotainment glitches£0–£300any
Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.
Best and worst MG HS years
How many MG HSs from each year are still licensed today (DfT), coloured by how well that year survives compared with similar cars of the same age.
No year clearly outlasts similar cars. No year falls off the road noticeably faster than similar cars.
MG HS MOT pass rate and common failures
First-time pass rate (2025)
Average UK car of the same age
MOT tests analysed (2020+ cars)
MG HSs pass their MOT first time about as often as the average UK car of the same age.
| First registered | Pass rate | Average UK car that age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 88% | 86% | 34k miles |
| 2021 | 90% | 87% | 31k miles |
| 2022 | 87% | 89% | 24k miles |
| 2023 | 90% | 92% | 20k miles |
Pass rate by fuel
Petrol
Hybrid
Fuels differ in age and mileage mix, so treat this as a pattern rather than a like-for-like comparison.
Most common MOT failures
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick1.86 per 100
- Tyres: has a cut1.65 per 100
- Headlamp aim: too low1.61 per 100
- Tyre pressure monitoring system: malfunctioning or obviously inoperative1.45 per 100
- Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn1 per 100
- Headlamp aim: too high0.97 per 100
- Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid0.92 per 100
- Washers: not working0.9 per 100
Most common advisories
- Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened24.18 per 100
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm8.33 per 100
- Tyres: has a tear7.72 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick7.7 per 100
- Non-component advisories: Nail in tyre3.92 per 100
- Non-component advisories: Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt3.87 per 100
- Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak2.85 per 100
- Tyres: has a cut2.58 per 100
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results for 2025 (normal car tests). First-time pass counts faults fixed during the test as fails. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Does the MG HS have a timing belt or chain?
| Engine | Type | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 T-GDI | chain | durable | £600–£1,100 |
MG HS running costs
Road tax (from April 2017)
Insurance groups
Real-world economy
Servicing (independent)
Tyres
Warranty when new
Is the MG HS ULEZ compliant?
- Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
- Same standards apply in Birmingham and Bristol Clean Air Zones (which charge private cars) and Scotland's LEZs in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee (which fine them). Check the exact car on TfL's vehicle checker.
Safety and practicality
Euro NCAP
Boot
Seats
MG HS vs rivals
| Model | On UK roads | Insurance | Boot | Best buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MG HS | 82k | 15–25 | 463 l | PHEV if you can charge, else 1.5 T-GDI manual |
| Nissan Qashqai | 646k | 13–22 | 430 l | 2018–2021 J11 1.3 DIG-T manual |
| Kia Sportage | 373k | 13–25 | 491 l | 2016–2021 QL 1.6 GDi or 1.7 CRDi; 2022+ HEV |
| Hyundai Tucson | 227k | 11–25 | 513 l | 2018–2020 TL 1.6 GDi manual or 2021+ HEV |
| Ford Kuga | 354k | 15–28 | 475 l | 2013–2019 Mk2 2.0 TDCi manual; 2020+ FHEV |
| Vauxhall Grandland | 95k | 13–25 | 514 l | 1.5 diesel or PureTech with belt done |
What to check when buying a used MG HS
- Warranty transfers
MG HS FAQ
›Is the MG HS reliable?
Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: PHEV if you can charge, else 1.5 T-GDI manual. Avoid: early DCT with harsh shifting.
›What is the MG HS MOT pass rate?
88% of MG HSs passed their MOT first time in 2025 (28,710 tests), about average for cars of the same age. The most common failure: brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick.
›What are the most common MG HS problems?
The costliest known faults are DCT gearbox jerkiness. Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.
›Does the MG HS have a timing belt or chain?
1.5 T-GDI: chain.
›What is the best year MG HS to buy?
By DfT survival data, 2020, 2021, 2023 cars have outlasted comparable cars best. Condition and history still matter more than the year.
›How much does a MG HS cost to run?
Real-world economy: 1.5 T-GDI 33–38 mpg; PHEV 35–100 depending on charging. Insurance groups 15–25. A minor service is about £150–£210 at an independent garage.
›How much is road tax on a MG HS?
Cars registered from April 2017 pay £200 a year (more if the list price was over £40k). Older cars pay by CO2 band, from £20 to £790.
›Is the MG HS ULEZ compliant?
Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
How we build this guide
We combine official UK data with what independent garages see most often on this model.
- How many are still on the road: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, by year first used. The survival comparison is against cars of the same age.
- MOT pass rates, failures and mileage: DVSA anonymised MOT results — every normal car MOT in Great Britain for the year, compared with all cars of the same age.
- Road tax: GOV.UK rates from April 2026. ULEZ: TfL and Clean Air Zone emission standards.
- Faults and repair costs: known problems by engine code, priced at typical UK independent-garage rates including parts and labour.
- Insurance groups, mpg, servicing and tyres: typical ranges, not quotes. Your car's exact figures depend on the version and where you live.
This is a buying guide, not a mechanical inspection. A specific car's MOT history tells you far more than any model average — run a free check on it before you go and see it.
Sources: licensed counts and survival from DfT vehicle licensing statistics; road tax from GOV.UK (April 2026 rates). Faults, costs, mpg and insurance groups are typical ranges, not quotes. A guide, not a mechanical inspection.